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Barnebys HQ
Brahegatan 10
BOX 5038
114 37 Stockholm
All auctions / Ancient Art / Rare Greek Bronze Alexander III the Great Ancient Coin...
A powerful and highly evocative ancient Greek bronze coin associated with Alexander III the Great, transformed into a distinctive wearable historical amulet. The obverse presents the striking head of Herakles (Hercules) wearing the skin of the Nemean Lion. This celebrated image became inseparably associated with the coinage of Alexander the Great (336–323 BC). Herakles embodied strength, courage, endurance and heroic victory—qualities closely connected with Alexander's own royal image. The lion skin can still be distinguished around the head and neck, giving the portrait its unmistakably heroic character. Alexander's use of Herakles was particularly meaningful, as the Macedonian royal dynasty traditionally claimed descent from the legendary hero. The reverse preserves an ancient standing figure and associated symbols, softened by centuries of circulation, burial and natural surface alteration. These traces of antiquity give the piece considerable archaeological character rather than the appearance of a modern reproduction. The coin possesses a deep, dark bronze patina with areas of green and warm earthy coloration. The irregular ancient surface and surviving high points of the design create a dramatic appearance when worn against the polished modern suspension. Symbolism As a wearable amulet, the imagery of Herakles makes this an especially powerful piece: Herakles — Strength • Courage • Endurance • Victory Alexander — Leadership • Conquest • Ambition • Legacy The ancient coin has been fitted with a modern suspension ring and is presented on a modern chain, allowing it to be worn while retaining the unmistakable character of an object from the ancient Mediterranean world. Ruler/Attribution: Alexander III “the Great” Kingdom: Macedon Period: Hellenistic / Ancient Greek Reign of Alexander III: 336–323 BC Material: Bronze Obverse: Head of Herakles wearing the Nemean lion skin Reverse: Standing figure with surviving ancient symbols/details Condition: Strong ancient character with dark patina, deposits, surface wear and irregularities consistent with age; please study the photographs carefully. Jewellery conversion: Modern suspension ring and chain; these elements are not ancient. A compelling meeting of ancient Greek mythology and Macedonian royal history, transformed into a dramatic wearable amulet more than two millennia after the age of Alexander.
Estimate:£168.96
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Hammer price:
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Estimate:
£168.96
OCT 23 | 8:00 AM
OCT 27 | 4:00 PM
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Get listed now£22,000
Est: £20,000
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OCT 17 | 10:00 PM
